Remote control price changing sign

ABSTRACT

A large sign mounted high on a supporting pole, tower or building is provided with changeable figure sections. Each changeable figure section includes an upper motor driven roller and a lower motor driven roller and an elongate panel of flexible material having digits 0 to 9 thereon with opposite ends of the panel fixed to and rollable on the respective rollers. A three wire motor control system is provided for each changeable figure section that extends therefrom to the ground and on to a remote location with a two way switch where the operator can watch the sign changes he is making. This makes it easier and safer for a person to change letters and numbers on billboards that are dangerous and/or inaccessable to climb up on and work on particularly with a sign high in the air facing the elements.

This invention relates in general to changeable signs, and moreparticularly, to large signs such as billboards having changeable figuresections controllable from remote locations not requiring that a personclimb a sign tower or pole to make the periodically required signchanges.

Billboard signs generally extend to substantial heights and are exposedto all the elements in an inaccessable and dangerous, particularly ifproper care is not exercised, environment. Such work requiresexperienced, competent people for any work up on the sign at relativelyhigh pay even if it is only to change prices indicated on the sign. Thisis not only time consuming but also expensive and, from a human welfarestandpoint, the requirement for a person to climb a sign and endangerhis or her life should be minimized. Changeable figure sections forbillboard signs have included cumbersome flip over multi-plate or plaquestructure that is not only difficult to mount being heavy and complexbut also expensive both initially and in service maintainancerequirements. Other window shade type structures have been used butthese require a multiplicity of number shades 0-9, a control selectingsystem, and pull structure for each of the 0-9 numbered shades.Obviously many of these various structures are heavy and bulkypresenting all kinds of installation problems and maintainance problems.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide aprice changing sign structure for billboards that is easy and safe for aperson to change letters and numbers on billboards from the ground.

Another object is to provide such a price changing sign structure thatminimizes the requirement for one's climbing up a billboard tower todangerous heights and/or relatively inaccessable tower positions.

A further object is to provide such a price changing structure that isrelatively inexpensive yet highly reliable in operation.

Still another object is to provide such a price changing structureelectrically driven with power on only during manually actuated periodsof price number or letter changing.

Features of the invention useful in accomplishing the above objectsinclude, in a changeable figure (numbers or letters) section equippedbillboard sign with the sections individually controlled from a remotelocation, a plurality of changing figure sections each including anupper motor driven roller and a lower motor driven roller and anelongate panel of flexible material having digits 0 to 9 thereon withopposite ends of the panel fixed to and rollable on the respectiverollers. A three wire motor control system is provided for eachchangeable figure section that extends therefrom to the ground and on toa remote location with a two way switch where the operator can watch thesign changes he is making. This makes it easier and safer for a personto change letters or numbers on billboards that are dangerous and/orinaccessable to climb up on and work on particularly with a sign high inthe air facing the elements.

A specific embodiment representing waht is presently regarded as thebest mode of carrying out the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective and expanded schematic showing of a signchangeable number section equipped billboard with its remote controlsystem;

FIG. 2, a partial perspective view of a billboard sign showing twochangeable numbered sections mounted thereon;

FIG. 3, a front elevation view of a changeable number section withportions of the front cover broken away to more clearly show interiordetail.

FIG. 4, a rear perspective view showing back interior detail of achangeable number section of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5, a partial broken away and sectioned side elevation view takenalong line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6, a perspective view of a flexible material panel roller with themotor drive shaft disengaged therefrom;

FIG. 7, a broken away and sectioned view of the roller taken along line6--6 of FIG. 6 showing detail of the roller mounting a flexible materialpanel;

FIG. 8, an exploded perspective view of the flexible material panelroller of FIGS. 6 and 7 also including the drive motor therefore andmotor mounting detail.

FIG. 9, a partial end view of the roller opposite the motor driven endmounting detail;

FIG. 10, a partial broken away and sectioned side elevation view takenalong line 10--10 of FIG. 2 showing partial mounting detail of achangeable number section; and,

FIG. 11, a partial broken away and sectioned side elevation view likethat of FIG. 10 showing partial mounting detail of a changeable numbersection on a face of a billboard.

Referring to the drawings:

The billboard sign 20 of FIG. 1 is shown to be mounted on a pole (ortower) 21 and to be equipped with four letter or number changeablesections 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D. Each of the number changeable sections22 has an upper motor 23 and a lower motor 24, referring also to FIGS. 2and 3, that are operated to drive upper and lower rollers 25 and 26,respectively, running an elongate panel 27 of flexible material havingdigits 0 to 9 thereon up or down. A control and plug connection box 28is mounted low on pole 21 so as to be readily accessable from the groundin order that a three prong plug 29 may be selectively plugged into oneof four three connection receptacles 30A, 30B, 30C and 30D. An AC line31 is connected to each connection 32R of the receptacles 30A, 30B, 30Cand 30D and when a plug 29 is plugged into a receptacle, such asindicated for receptacle 30A, plug prong 32P extends through line 33 toa remoted location and through fuse 34 to the switch arm 35 of momentaryswitch 36. The switch arm 35 may be manually switched to upper contact37 to feed AC through line 38, plug prong 39P, receptacle connection 39Rand line 40 to upper motor 23 that has a connection through line 41 toground. When switch arm 35 is manually switched to lower contact 42 ACis fed through line 43, plug prong 44P, receptacle connection 44R andline 45 to lower motor 24 that has a connection through line 46 toground. This provides for running numbered (0-9) flexible material panel27 up or down in changing price numbering. This is accomplished with oneor the other of motors 23 and 24 being powered to run its roller 25 or26 and the other of motors 23 and 24 dragging without power as an aid tokeeping the flexible material panel 27 taut and without wrinkles duringprice changing. The lines 33, 38 and 43 may be relatively long lines sothat the momentary switch 36 is at a location where the personcontrolling price changes on the sign sections 22A, 22B, 22C and 22Dviews the sign from an appropriate viewing distance for properpositioning of the panels 27 in making desired price changes. Themomentary switch 36 could be located in a building 47 with a view of thesign 20 through a window 48 as a convenience in remote position signchanging control. An AC line 49 may be provided extending fromconnection of fuse 34 with switch arm 35 to a timer 50 that may beturned on to a desired time to shut-off. Timer 50 is shown to have fouroutput switches 51A, 51B, 51C, and 51D connected to lines 52A, 52B, 52C,and 52D that are extended to heater elements 53A, 53B, 53C, and 53D,that may be a light bulb 53 or a plurality of light bulbs 53 in parallelin a section 22 with the other sides connected to ground. With thisstructure the timer could be located with switch 36 at a remote locationfor control convenience when ice may form in the sign sections 22.Switch 36 is a momemtary switch to insure that it is never left on toburn out a motor 23 or 24 and the timer 50 is provided to insure thatpower to any of the heater elements 53A, 53B, 53C and 53D is on for onlya limited time with each setting to the on state.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 each number chargeable section 22 isprovided with a transparent front window unit 54 within a rectangularframe 55 of "L" shaped top and bottom, left and right side framingmembers 56, 57, 58 and 59, respectively. A pair of hinges 60 areconnected as by screws or rivets 61 to the left side frame member 62 ofthe section 22 box 63 and to the left side frame member 58 of windowunit 54. Weather seal material 64 is mounted on the inside of the frontlip of "L" shaped framing members 56, 57, 58 and 59 in position to bearagainst in sealing fashion the front face of box 63 rectangular frontopening defining lipping 65 when a window unit 54 is closed and lockedwith the hasp 66 pinned 67 to loop member 68 mounted on the right sideframe member 69 of box 63. Each section 22 box 63 also includes a bottomframe member 70 and a top frame member 71 with an eye bolt 72 mountedthereon for lifting of number changeable sections 22 in mounting them onbillboard signs or removing them from signs.

A front to back barrier member 73 that extends from top to bottom andfrom side to side within section 22 box 63 is formed with a transversechamber 74 at the top for roller 25 and roller drive motor 23 and atransverse chamber 75 at the bottom for roller 26 and roller drive motor24. Between chambers 74 and 75 member 73 is formed forwardly to presenta guide surface 76 for the flexible material elongate panel 27. Thepanel 27 guide surface 76 projects forward far enough to providecontinous backing support for the panel 27 whatever degree of roll up oneither of the rollers 25 and 26. The panel 27 in number changingmovement slides over surface 76 with transverse grooves 77 providedtherein as an aid to letting air under the panel and to minimizesticking of the panel to surface 76. A pattern of raised roundedprojection could be used in place of transverse grooves 77 inaccomplishing substantially the same thing. Heater elements 53 in theform of light bulbs are contained within the chamber 78 defined bymember 73 behind panel guide surface 76 as an aid to unfreezing ice thatmay have formed from condensation within the unit during cold weather toovercome any freezing of the panel 27 to the guide surface 76. A hot airblower or heater strips could be used in place of the light bulbs asheating elements. At the rear of the box 63 the side frame members 62and 69 and top and bottom frame members 71 and 70 have rear lipping 79to the rear of which crisscross frame and mount straps 80 and 81 arefastened as by rivets 82. The tops of mount straps 80 and 81 are formedwith looped over ends 83 and 84 that may fit over a transverse signframe member 85 for sections 22 that are inserted into openings 86 in asign provided therefor as shown in FIG. 10. As an alternate, as shown inFIG. 11, the looped over ends 83 and 84 may fit over a transverse signframe member 87 for mounting of sections 22 on the face 88 of abillboard sign 20'. The bottom ends of mount straps 80 and 81 extendbelow the bottoms of respective letter or number changeable sections 22and are provided with holes 89 for further securing of the sections 22in place on a sign with screws.

Referring now also to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 the construction of rollers 25and 26 are substantially the same so the description of an upper roller25 and its mounting should suffice for both. Roller 25 is primarily around elongate roller of wood split longitudinally from end to end intotwo halves 90 and 91 that are assembled together with screws 92 throughopenings 93 in roller half 90 extended on into openings 94 and 95 inroller half 91. The left end screw 92 also extends through opening 96 indrive shaft extension 97, that is received in opening 98 of roller 25,and receives shaft 99 as an extension into the tubular extension 97.Drive shaft 99 and tubular extension 97 are pinned together by boltassembly 100 extended through opening 101 in extension 97 and opening102 in drive shaft 99. The drive shaft 99 is the drive output of motor23 that is mounted to the inside top of left side frame member 62 bybolts 103. The right end screw 92 also extends through opening 104 intubular mount member 105 that is received in opening 106 of roller 25and extends outwardly through opening 107 in right side frame member 69from which it receives bearing support. Tubular mount member 105terminates at its outer end in threads 108 which receive a nut 109, witha set screw 110, that encloses a coil compression spring 111 between thenut 109 and the right side frame member 69. The nut 109 may be adjustedon threads 108 to vary the compression of spring 111 and the drag ofroller 25 imposed by the non-activated motor 23 along with the dragcreated via spring 111 in keeping the flexible material panel 27 tautwhen the panel 27 is being pulled down by roller 26 as driven by motor24. The flexible material panel 27 has tapered down in width ends 112 toextend into the rollers 25 and 26 between the roller halves 90 and 91without interfering with the tubular extension 97 and tubular mountmember 105. It should be noted that with an installation such as shownin FIGS. 2 and 10 that an opening top closure plate 113 may be riveted(or bolted) 114 in place on the sign face above each unit 22.

Referring again to FIG. 1 it should be noted that an "ON" indicatorlight 115 is connected between line 38 and ground, and an "ON" indicatorlight is connected between line 43 and ground. These are provided at themomentary switch 36 control station in order that the operator of theswitch 36 can see that power is appearing on the line the switch isthrown to.

Whereas this invention has been described with respect to severalembodiments theereof, it should be realized that various changes may bemade without departure from the essential contributions to the art madeby the teachings hereof.

I claim:
 1. A changeable figure section for an elevated signcontrollable from a remote location comprising: a changeable figuresection in a rectangular box structure having a transparent frontwindow; an upper roller and a lower roller rotatably mounted in the topand the bottom of said rectangular box structure; an upper and a lowermotor in said box structure drive connected to said upper and lowerrollers respectively; an elongate panel of flexible material having aseries of figures along the forward face thereof and upper and lowerends fastened to said upper and lower rollers, respectively, andwindable on said upper and lower rollers to varying degrees in advancingthe panel up and down to different figure displaying positions with theupper roller driven to draw the panel up when the upper roller is powerdriven by said upper motor and to draw the panel down when the lowerroller is power driven by said lower motor; power supply means for saidupper motor and power supply means for said lower motor; control meansline connected for individually controlling power fed to said upper andlower motors from a remote location; wherein mounting means is connectedto said rectangular box structure for the mounting of said box structureon an elevated sign, such as a tower mounted billboard; said mountingmeans is in the form of criss-cross frame members fastened to the backof said rectangular box structure by fastening means; and with saidcriss-cross frame members formed with hooks at the top for support froma sign transverse frame member, and bottom ends extended beyond thebottom of said box structure for additional mount fastening to the sign.2. The changeable figure section for an elevated sign controllable froma remote location of claim 1, wherein said figure section box structureis inserted in an opening in the sign sized to receive said boxstructure.
 3. The changeable figure section for an elevated signcontrollable from a remote location of claim 1, wherein said figuresection box structure is mounted on the front face of said elevatedsign.
 4. The changeable figure section for an elevated sign controllablefrom a remote section of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said figuresection box structures is mounted on the front face of said elevatedsign.
 5. A changeable figure section for an elevated sign controllablefrom a remote location comprising: a changeable figure section in arectangular box structure having a transparent front window; an upperroller and a lower roller rotatably mounted in the top and the bottom ofsaid rectangular box structure; an upper motor and a lower motor in saidbox structure drive connected to said upper and lower rollersrespectively; an elongate panel of flexible material having a series offigures along the forward face thereof and upper and lower ends fastenedto said upper and lower rollers, respectively, and windable on saidupper and lower rollers to varying degrees in advancing the panel up anddown to different figure displaying positions with the upper rollerdriven to draw the panel up when the upper roller is power driven bysaid upper motor and to draw the panel down when the lower roller ispower driven by said lower motor; power supply means for said uppermotor and power supply means for said lower motor; and control meansline connected for individually controlling power fed to said upper andlower motors from a remote location; wherein said box structure includestop and bottom opposite side box defining members; a baffle memberspanning the box structure from top to bottom and from side to sidewithin said top and bottom and opposite side box defining members withforward opening upper and lower roller containing chambers and aninterim forward flexible panel backing forward projection positioned forthe panel to slide along in figure changing movement thereover; saidinterim forward projection of said baffle member defining a rearenclosure of said changeable figure section encloses heating elementmeans used to defrost any frozen moisture on the baffle member tendingto freeze said flexible panel to said baffle member; and wherein saidbaffle member is provided with surface deformations to counter bafflesurface fluid condensate adhesion sticking of said flexible panel to theforward surface of said baffle member as an aid to free movement of saidflexible panel thereover.
 6. The changeable figure section for anelevated sign controllable from a remote location of claim 5, whereinsaid surface deformations in said baffle member are transverse groovesextending from side to side thereof.
 7. The changeable figure sectionfor an elevated sign controllable from a remote location of claim 5,wherein said heating element means is in the form of light bulbs.
 8. Thechangeable figure section for an elevated sign controllable from aremote location of claim 5, wherein said heating element means iscircuit connected to ground location turn off turn on control means. 9.The changeable figure section for an elevated sign controllable from aremote location of claim 8, wherein said heating element means turn offturn on control means includes automatic timer turn off means.
 10. Thechangeable figure section for an elevated sign controllable from aremote location of claim 5, wherein said flexible panel is formed withopposite end tabs that are fastened to said upper and lower rollers. 11.The changeable figure section for an elevated sign controllable from aremote location of claim 10, wherein said opposite end tabs of saidflexible panel are insert fastened between said roller halves of saidsplit upper and lower rollers.
 12. The changeable figure section for anelevated sign controllable from a remote location of claim 5, whereinsaid control means for individually controlling power fed to said upperand lower motors from a remote location includes a return to off switchthat is manually thrown and held to apply power to upper motor powerline means and to lower motor power line means with only one of the twomotors being power driven at a time.
 13. The changeable figure sectionfor an elevated sign controllable from a remote location of claim 12,wherein the line connections from said return to off switch is a threeline remote location to said changeable figure section; with one line onAC power supply line and the other two lines individual switch connectedlines to said upper and lower drive motors.
 14. The changeable figuresection for an elevated sign controllable from a remote location ofclaim 13, wherein first on indicator light means is connected from thecontrol switch power line to the upper roller drive motor to ground; andsecond on indicator light means is connected from the control switchpower line to the lower roller drive motor to ground; and with saidfirst and second on indicator light means located for viewing at thecontrol switch location.
 15. The changeable figure section for anelevated sign controllable from a remote location of claim 12, whereindrag imposing means is included with each of said upper and lowerrollers in addition to the drag imposed on a roller by the motor of thatroller when the other roller is being power driven by the motor of thatroller.
 16. The changeable figure section for an elevated signcontrollable from a remote location of claim 15, wherein said dragimposing means is a coil spring and a spring compression adjustment nutthreaded on a roller shaft end with the coil spring adjusted against abox side frame member.